Location of Missing Persons Identified in Gwangju Apartment Collapse... Rescue Efforts Face Difficulties

Strategy Established to Access Through Side of 28-Story Piled Debris

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters is conducting a focused search on the 27th floor, where bloodstains and work clothes were found the previous night. Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City Fire Safety Headquarters

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jo Hyung-joo] The location of the missing persons in the collapse accident of a newly built apartment in Gwangju has been identified, but difficulties in rescue operations continue as the entry strategy is revised due to the risk of additional collapse.

According to the Central Accident Response Headquarters on the 26th, bloodstains and work clothes presumed to belong to the missing persons were found at a point estimated to be the 27th floor of the collapsed building the previous afternoon.

Subsequently, using an endoscopic camera, it was confirmed that there were buried victims, and on that day, some body parts such as hair were identified.

Initially, the Central Accident Response Headquarters planned to break through from above the master bedroom on that floor to carry out rescue operations, but it was judged that the safety of the rescue team could not be guaranteed as debris stacked in layers poured down due to vibrations caused by the breaking.

Accordingly, the Central Accident Response Headquarters established a new strategy to approach by drilling through the side of the debris piled on the upper floor, the 28th floor.

In addition, steel beams and jack supports will be additionally installed to prevent any possible collapse.

Search and rescue operations will continue through the night.

Lee Il, Director of the 119 Response Bureau at the Fire Agency, said, "Many variables occur during rescue operations, but we are proceeding so that subsequent operations can be linked as much as possible."